The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and its photoconductor cleaning method, and more particularly, to an image forming apparatus and its photoconductor cleaning method, in which ink consisting of toner particles dispersed in a solvent is used, the ink is solidified by removing the solvent in this ink, and a characteristic that the solidified ink is transferred to a material having more affinity for the ink in materials lying therebetween is utilized.
Conventionally, in an electro-photographic image forming apparatus, an electric latent image is formed on a photoconductor by means of a laser and so forth, this latent image is developed using toner, a toner image is transferred on a transfer member such as paper, and thereafter, the transferred image is fixed by means of heating, pressurization and so forth, and a copied material is obtained. Here, in the conventional electro-photographic image forming apparatus, ink in which toner particles are dispersed in a solvent is used, and the ink is solidified by removing the solvent in this ink, and a characteristic that the solidified ink is transferred to a material having more affinity for the ink in materials lying therebetween is utilized.
As means for removing the solvent in the ink, there is means for, after the development, squeezing the solvent contained in the ink by means of a squeezing roller, and thereafter, absorbing and removing the remaining solvent by means of an absorption body of revolution (an absorption roller), which was not squeezed by the squeezing roller. At this time, in order to securing capability of collecting the solvent in the absorption body of revolution, although the solvent absorbed from a surface of the absorption body of revolution is vaporized by means of heat, for protection of environment, the vaporized solvent is cooled, and liquefied and collected, and the solvent that was not liquefied is discharged outside the apparatus through a filter.
However, in the conventional electro-photographic image forming apparatus, activated carbon and so forth are used for the above-described filter, and however, since the filter has a life as consumption goods, it is necessary to periodically exchange it, and in case that a user does not exchange the filter, since the collection capability of the filter is deteriorated, concentration of the solvent becomes higher, and there is a task from an aspect of environment protection.
Also, in the solvent vaporized at the process before it is discharged through the filter, much steam is contained, and in case that activated carbon and so forth are used for the filter, since the steam in addition to the solvent is also absorbed, there is also a task that its life is further shortened.
In order to improve the above tasks, a method of setting a mechanism for removing the steam contained in the vapor before the vaporized solvent is discharged through the filter or a mechanism for removing moisture absorbed in the filter becomes to be required, and however, due to increase of the number of components, there is a large task from an aspect of a cost.
Therefore, the objective of the present invention is to solve the above-described tasks.
Also, the objective of the present invention is to realize an image processing apparatus at a low cost, in which, after a solvent absorbed by an absorption body of revolution is dried and vaporized, the vapor is rarefied by liquefying and collecting it by means of liquefaction means, and the rarefied vapor is mixed with a solvent newly collected, dried and vaporized by means of the absorption body of revolution, and an air flow is circulated so that the vapor is liquefied and collected by the liquefaction device again, and thereby, the vaporized solvent is not discharged outside the apparatus, and environment protection is taken into account.
Moreover, the other objective of the present invention is to realize an image processing apparatus having high user maintenanceability, in which consumption goods such as a filter for discharging the collected solvent are not required.
In order to accomplish such objectives, the first invention of the present invention is an image forming apparatus, and is characterized in that the apparatus includes a photosensitive belt that is a photoconductor for forming a latent image, a developing roller for developing the latent image on the photosensitive belt by means of ink consisting of toner particles dispersed in a predetermined solvent, an absorption body of revolution for absorbing the solvent in the ink developed on the photosensitive belt, a drying roller having a heater inside thereof for evaporating the solvent by means of heat, which has been absorbed by the absorption body of revolution, an air pump for sucking the solvent vaporized by the drying roller, a liquefaction device for cooling, liquefying and collecting the vaporized solvent in a conduit between the air pump and the absorption body of revolution, and a transfer roller being in contact with said photosensitive belt and having a heater inside thereof, and a fuser roller being in contact with said transfer roller and having a heater inside thereof, both of which are disposed downstream from said absorption body of revolution, and wherein paper is transported between the transfer roller and the fuser roller by transport rollers for transporting the paper, and the ink is transferred on the paper, and vapor from the air pump is discharged in vicinity of the absorption body of revolution.
Also, the second invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the vapor from the air pump is discharged in vicinity of the drying roller.
Also, the third invention is characterized in that, in the first invention, the vapor from the air pump is discharged in a conduit between the drying roller and the liquefaction device.
Also, the fourth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is an image forming apparatus, and is characterized in that the apparatus includes a photosensitive belt that is a photoconductor for forming a latent image, a developing roller for developing the latent image on the above-described photosensitive belt by means of ink consisting of toner particles dispersed in a predetermined solvent, an absorption roller for absorbing the solvent in the ink developed on the above-described photosensitive belt, a drying roller having a heater inside thereof for evaporating the solvent by means of heat, which has been absorbed by the above-described absorption roller, an air pump for sucking the solvent vaporized by the above-described drying roller, and discharging the solvent in vicinity of the above-described absorption roller, and a liquefaction device for cooling, liquefying and collecting the vaporized solvent in a conduit between the above-described air pump and the above-described absorption roller.
Also, the fifth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is an image forming apparatus, and is characterized in that the apparatus includes a photosensitive belt that is a photoconductor for forming a latent image, a developing roller for developing the latent image on the above-described photosensitive belt by means of ink consisting of toner particles dispersed in a predetermined solvent, an absorption roller for absorbing the solvent in the ink developed on the above-described photosensitive belt, a drying roller having a heater inside thereof for evaporating the solvent by means of heat, which has been absorbed by the above-described absorption roller, an air pump for sucking the solvent vaporized by the above-described drying roller, and discharging the solvent in vicinity of the above-described drying roller, and a liquefaction device for cooling, liquefying and collecting the vaporized solvent in a conduit between the above-described air pump and the above-described absorption roller.
Also, the sixth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is an image forming apparatus, and is characterized in that the apparatus includes a photosensitive belt that is a photoconductor for forming a latent image, a developing roller for developing the latent image on the above-described photosensitive belt by means of ink consisting of toner particles dispersed in a predetermined solvent, an absorption roller for absorbing the solvent in the ink developed on the above-described photosensitive belt, a drying roller having a heater inside thereof for evaporating the solvent by means of heat, which has been absorbed by the above-described absorption roller, a liquefaction device for cooling, liquefying and collecting the vaporized solvent, a duct for leading the solvent vaporized by the above-described drying roller to the above-described liquefaction device, and an air pump for sucking the solvent vaporized by the above-described drying roller and leading it to the above-described liquefaction device, and discharging it on a side of the above-described drying roller of the above-described duct.
Also, the seventh invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is an image forming apparatus having an electro-photographic image forming system, and is characterized in that a latent image electrically formed on a photoconductor is developed using ink in which toner particles are dispersed in a solvent and a toner image is created, and after the above-described toner image is transferred on a transfer member such as paper, the above-described transferred image is fixed by means of heating, pressurization and so forth, and a copied material is obtained, and the apparatus includes absorption means for absorbing the solvent from the toner image developed on the above-described photoconductor, drying means for drying and vaporizing the solvent absorbed by the above-described absorption means, liquefaction and collection means for cooling, and liquefying and collecting the solvent dried and vaporized by the above-described drying means, and circulation means for circulating the solvent rarefied without being liquefied and collected by the above-described liquefaction and collection means from the above-described liquefaction and collection means to vicinity of the above-described drying means through the circulation means, and wherein the gaseous solvent circulated to the above-described drying means by the above-described circulation means is mixed with a solvent newly collected by the above-described absorption means and dried and vaporized by the above-described drying means, and the above-described mixed gas is liquefied and collected again by the above-described liquefaction and collection means.
Also, the eighth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described seventh invention, the solvent dried and vaporized by the above-described drying means is sucked into the above-described liquefaction and collection means by the above-described circulation means through a conduit connecting a duct for housing the above-described absorption means and the above-described drying means to the above-described liquefaction and collection means.
Also, the ninth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described eighth invention, the gaseous solvent sucked into the above-described liquefaction and collection means is liquefied and collected by the above-described liquefaction and collection means, and however, the gaseous solvent rarefied without being liquefied and collected is sucked into the above-described circulation means through a conduit connecting the above-described liquefaction and collection means to the above-described circulation means.
Also, the tenth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described ninth invention, the rarefied gaseous solvent sucked into the above-described circulation means is discharged in vicinity of the above-described drying means within the above-described duct through a conduit connecting the above-described duct to the above-described circulation means.
Also, the eleventh invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is a photoconductor cleaning method for an image forming apparatus having an electro-photographic image forming system, and is characterized in that a latent image electrically formed on a photoconductor is developed using ink in which toner particles are dispersed in a solvent and a toner image is created, and after the above-described toner image is transferred on a transfer member such as paper, the above-described transferred image is fixed by means of heating, pressurization and so forth, and a copied material is obtained, and the method includes an absorption step of, by absorption means, absorbing the solvent from the toner image developed on the above-described photoconductor, a drying step of, by drying means, drying and vaporizing the solvent absorbed at the above-described absorption step, a liquefaction and collection step of cooling the solvent dried and vaporized at the above-described drying step, and liquefying and collecting it by liquefaction and collection means, a circulation step of circulating the solvent rarefied without being liquefied and collected at the above-described liquefaction and collection step from the above-described liquefaction and collection means to vicinity of the above-described drying means through circulation means, and a step of mixing the gaseous solvent circulated to the above-described drying means at the above-described circulation step with a solvent newly collected at the above-described absorption step and dried and vaporized at the above-described drying step, and liquefying and collecting the above-described mixed gas again by the above-described liquefaction and collection means.
Also, the twelfth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described eleventh invention, the solvent dried and vaporized at the above-described drying step is sucked into the above-described liquefaction and collection means by the above-described circulation step through a conduit connecting a duct for housing the above-described absorption means and the above-described drying means to the above-described liquefaction and collection means.
Also, the thirteenth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described twelfth invention, the gaseous solvent sucked into the above-described liquefaction and collection means is liquefied and collected at the above-described liquefaction and collection step, and however, the gaseous solvent rarefied without being liquefied and collected is sucked into the above-described circulation means by the above-described circulation step through a conduit connecting the above-described liquefaction and collection means to the above-described circulation means.
Also, the fourteenth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is characterized in that, in the above-described thirteenth invention, the rarefied gaseous solvent sucked into the above-described circulation means is discharged in vicinity of the above-described drying means within the above-described duct by the above-described circulation step through a conduit connecting the above-described duct to the above-described circulation means.
Also, the fifteenth invention that accomplishes the above-described objectives is an image forming apparatus, and is characterized in that the apparatus includes an absorption roller for absorbing a solvent from a toner image developed on a photosensitive belt, a drying roller for drying and vaporizing the absorbed solvent, a liquefaction device for cooling, liquefying and collecting the dried and vaporized solvent, and an air pump for circulating a gas that has not been liquefied by the liquefaction device from the liquefaction device to vicinity of the drying roller, and wherein the gas is mixed with a newly dried and vaporized solvent, and the mixed gas is liquefied and collected again by the liquefaction device.